Fitz's Journal

Once Burned, Twice Shy; Thoughts from out of a Strange Thunderstorm

This is perhaps the biggest thunderstorm that I haven’t been in.  The lightning is flashing and bolting to the ground, and the thunder is booming in every direction--though it is all five miles away.  Here there is no wind or rain.  The sky is bright directly overhead, but the tall pines on the far side of the field are backdropped in roiled dark clouds.

Strange.  There is a shift in the clouds.  They are coming towards us now from the northeast...

I had to run from under the comfortable shelter under the awning of our RV and take some “shelter from the storm” as a huge gust of wind and pelting rain came at us from this strange direction. Just as suddenly, it shifted again and renewed its course to the southwest leaving me perplexed and dampened.

Writers often do the same thing with their writing.  They build up a storm of unimagined intensity and create a looming confrontation between the opposing forces whom have been long at battle in their story line.  Readers sense the impending conflict that will finally resolve the richly thickened plot; the wind whips, lightning flashes, thunder crashes and...

The storm takes a new direction--blows all hell and fury in another direction--and then returns to its insidious and relentless march to the sea (in New England, all thunderstorms march to the sea!) but the reader is no longer in the path of the storm; they are stranded like a desperate mariner on a now lonely shore watching the clouds boil away over the horizon. The writer, still caught up in his or her storm, assumes the reader is still with them anticipating the coming climax, but they are not.  They’re more like me;  they are left wondering why the storm took that irrational jog to the southeast, because that is the rational response to mystery--to ask why. There is no reason--aside from perhaps a schoolmasters admonitions--that require us to wade through the muck of tortured writing.

Most of us are rational and surprisingly intuitive, and a good writer needs to recognize and respect that reality. Good readers are like oft jilted lovers wary of another disappointing affair. They know when to put a book aside and find another writer, one who won’t let them down. They love the reward of a well written story, an inspiring essay, or a compelling narrative; they love writers who consistently provide that reward, and they return to those writers over and again with their time, attention, and money.

A good writer is not in love with his or her own writing.  They are in love with the process of writing well,  regardless and because of their chosen genre! I will read and re-read Patrick O’Brien’s endless repertoire of naval sea novels, not because O’Brien’s novels are masterpieces of literature, but because he consistently provides a rewarding literary experience for “me” as someone who loves stories of naval battles! O’Brien found his niche, and he found his audience.  It is an audience that he respected and worked tirelessly to please before passing away (sadly for his devoted audience eager for more novels) at a ripe old age. Though O’Brien will never be placed among the pantheon of “great” writers, what he aspired to do, he did well, and certainly well enough for me.

Thoreau once said, “Measure a man, not by what he is, but by what he aspires to be.” My readers are, by and large, writers who aspire to be better writers. In the greater scheme of things, I can only give you bits and pieces out of my own insights, experiences, and aspirations. I am only the proverbial finger pointing at the moon.  You will only reach the moon through your own labors.

So take the the time to write as well as you can, respect your audience, and try to hit what you aim at.

But keep aiming as high as you can. Maybe you’ll make a few bucks in the process.

Writing about Facts, Literature, & Life

A Formula for Writing Paragraphs

    Writing paragraphs is probably the most important and useful skill any writer should master. The paragraph is the basic building block of all narrative, expository and literary writing. Knowing how to "put together" an essay means nothing if you can't "craft" an understandable and effective paragraph. When you are writing the body paragraphs of any essay (the “say what you mean" part of my essay formula) follow these guidelines. The numerous steps may seem excessive, but it works, and with a bit of practice it becomes a natural part of your writing!

    This formula will help you create the body paragraphs for any sort of essay you want or need to write, including, literary, expository, personal narrative or memoir type essays. 

    When writing analytical critiques of literature or an expository essay, you are trying to prove a point, illustrate an idea, and/or enlighten your readers.  Because you believe that what you are writing is a fact, there is no reason to use "I" in this type of writing. No "I think's." No "I feel's" No "What I find interesting's." Using “I" implies, explicitly or not, that what you are saying is merely an opinion. It also adds unnecessary words to your essay, and unnecessary words diminish the effectiveness of any writing piece. Think of these two sentences and ask yourself which is more effective at making a factual point:

1. I really think that all the pollution in the air will cause global warming someday,
2. Research by scientists at MIT’s prestigious Laboratory for Climate Studies conclusively proves that C02 levels in the atmosphere is the single direct cause of increasing global temperatures.

There is certainly a time and place for personal thoughts, even when writing an analytical or expository essay. (Though many teachers may disagree with this!)  The secret is to know when and where using "I" is a more effective writing choice.  If you are an acknowledged “expert” in the field, it is often a wise and powerful choice to write from your own point of view.  The only real rule in writing is how well a writing piece works to engage, inspire, and inform your intended audience! One of the world’s greatest literary masterpieces, “Walden,” by Henry David Thoreau, unabashedly uses the personal voice of the author.

In most books, the I, or first person, is omitted; in this it will be retained; that, in respect to egotism, is the main difference. We commonly do not remember that it is, after all, always the first person that is speaking. I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.
-Chapter one, Economy, in Walden.

Obviously, when writing about personal experiences (as in a narrative essay or personal memoir) it is the strength and validity of your personal voice that will keep your reader with you the whole way through anything you write.

Fitz’s Paragraph Formula

Here is my formula for writing a great paragraph. Granted, it is a "formula," and formulas taken to the extreme can make for insipid and predictable writing; however, as formulas go, it's a pretty good one. Feel free to “tweak” this to suit the needs of your writing pieces and your sensibilities as an artist.

1. BROAD THEME: Write a short declarative statement that touches on a broad theme that all of us can relate to in some way or other.  This acts as a "hook" that will attract your reader’s attention. Despite what you might wish, no one really cares about you when they read; a reader cares primarily about himself or herself. This broad theme is a theme that almost any person can relate to on some level, and hopefully it is intriguing enough to make your reader want to read on.

For example, if you want to write about the importance of family, here is an example of a broad theme:

• It is only our immediate family that gives us unconditional love.

2. NARROW THEME: Narrow down your theme by writing a phrase or sentence that captures how your chosen theme is used in a specific way in the piece of literature you are analyzing, the facts you are going to present, or the experience you are going to convey. Make sure it is "clear, concise and memorable" because it is what you want your readers to remember "as" they read your paragraph.  (So, don't make it a long sentence—unless you are writing to very sophisticated readers!) This is the sentence that "steers" your reader in the direction you want your paragraph to go, and in that sense, it is what your paragraph is going to be about. This becomes the topic of your paragraph. If it works, try connecting these first two sentences with a semi-colon or a conjunction, or simply leave it as two sentences.

• It is our family that we turn to when there is no place left to go.

3. ONE/TWO PUNCH: Follow your topic sentence with one or two more sentences that add detail or explanation to your topic sentence. These sentences can (and maybe should) be longer sentences.

• When we are alone in the world; when nothing is going our way, we know that the door of family will always open for us and welcome us back into the arms of those people who are love us without reservations.

4. SMOKING GUN:  If you are writing about a piece of literature, write a sentence that sets up and leads clearly into a specific quote or scene from the book that "shows" how the author uses the theme of your paragraph in the writing piece. This is the "smoking gun." It proves that you know--or at least have thought about--the book in a meaningful way. In the same way, if you are writing about a personal experience, chose a specific personal experience that explicates, illustrates, and amplifies the theme of your paragraph. Finally, if you are writing an expository piece, this is the place to add your facts that supports your argument.

• At no other time in my life was this more obvious than when I returned to my family home in Concord after a three-year’s journey to the Himalayas to discover the essential truth about life. Broke, disheveled, and disenchanted, I stood on the doorstep and tentatively rapped on the door. No smile was wider than my moms; no arms were wider than my dads as they pulled me into their arms and into the living room I left so long ago.

5. HEAD & HEART: Show your reader your thoughts! Write as many more sentences as you "need" (but at least two more) to illustrate and elaborate upon whatever you introduced in your topic sentence. HINT: The more narrow and focused your topic sentence, the less you need to write to prove your point or describe your experience.

• It didn’t matter that I left home without even telling them where I was going. It didn’t matter that I had once criticized their lives as dull and meaningless, and it didn’t matter that I never called and never wrote.  It only mattered that I was home again.

6. GET OUT or GO ON! This sentence either wants to close out your thoughts or "transition" to a potential new paragraph.

• For me, it only matters that I will never turn my back on my family again because when times are tough, family is all that really matters.

    Always go back and re-read what you have written. Find three areas or sentences that you can make better. Often you can find a better topic sentence somewhere else in the paragraph. You can almost always find a more clear and effective way to write a sentence than you wrote on your first try. If you have too many short sentences, try combining sentences using conjunctions or semi colons.

Here is the complete paragraph.  At 220 words, this is what I would call a “full” paragraph.  In any essay you write, the body paragraphs should be of similar length. Otherwise, to will “look” like some of your points are more important and meaningful than other points!

It is only our immediate family that gives us unconditional love. It is our family that we turn to when there is no place left to go. When we are alone in the world; when nothing is going our way, we know that the door of family will always open for us and welcome us back into the arms of those people who are love us without reservations. At no other time in my life was this more obvious than when I returned to my family home in Concord after a three-year’s journey to the Himalayas to discover the essential truth about life. Broke, disheveled, and disenchanted, I stood on the doorstep and tentatively rapped on the door. No smile was wider than my moms; no arms were wider than my dads as they pulled me into their arms and into the living room I left so long ago. It didn’t matter that I left home without even telling them where I was going. It didn’t matter that I had once criticized their lives as dull and meaningless, and it didn’t matter that I never called and never wrote.  It only mattered that I was home again. For me, it only matters that I will never turn my back on my family again because family is all that really matters.

This paragraph might not win me a Pulitzer prize, but it does what it sets out to do, and that is the rimary aim of all writing.   Try it out and see if it works for you!

Embracing Joy and Sorrow

Never measure the moment until it passes. Sue called the other night to tell me that the thunderstorms flashed around Nashville all day, and so the airlines canceled Seth’s flight.  He was down there wowing the  Nashville elite with his amazing guitar skills at a music convention of some sort. She said that Seth had called to see if I would cover his gig at the Inn.  I figured a Monday night at the Inn would be a pretty dead affair, but I also figured it would at least (almost) fill the fuel tank on the bus, and Seth was in a jam, so what the heck. It was as I imagined it would be: a few tables of people having dinner, seemingly unaware that music was a part of the fare as well—and me unaware as well of what the night would bring me.

Thirty years of playing in pubs and I still hate that feeling of imposing on people who are just out for a social drink or dinner.  I still fret about my first song.  Every night in a pub scene like this feels like a first date.  You can win or lose the crowd quickly when those first notes hit the air. The only person paying attention to me as I set up was a young boy of four or five years old.  I know parents like it when their kids get attention, so I started with “A Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night.” He liked the parts where the fox grabs the grey goose by the neck, and especially the part where the fox and wife cut up the goose with a carving knife.  Because he laughed, the adults laughed; because he listened, the rest of the crowd did as well. It's the same scene I've lived as a small potato folk singer playing in the same small pub I've played in for over 25 years. Something always happens to "redeem" even the hardest nights—but tonight brought a different redemption.

A couple in the far corner requested “I’ll Fly Away,” and I grimaced as I reached back into the depths of the songs I know; I shook my head feigning limited knowledge of that beautiful classic gospel tune I’ve probably sung some 3000 times. By bar standards, it was a hit! And so that small crowd of people stuck with me the rest of the night through the good  (and not so good) of my repertoire. In between songs I queried each table about where they were from and why they came to the Inn. “To see you, of course,” became the polite and endearing reply.  When I finished the night, the last table sitting was the couple in the corner.  They invited me over and we talked until closing. We started out talking of folk songs and lyrics that rose above the ordinary and somehow captured the raw parts of our psyche.  One of them said, “You only know what you think by writing it down.”  As a writer, that hit me in the sweet spot. That phrase hooked me in like the fox on a chilly night hooked the young boy.  I asked them: ”What do you mean by that.“ And the magic began.

I don’t remember his or her name, though I know I wrote them down on a napkin somewhere.  Jordan, I think, is his name. I know that he is as a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, He said that William James first wrote the phrase, and that both his own research and his teaching validated that what James wrote is true--you do only know what you think by writing it down. The three of us talked and talked and laughed and wondered aloud.  I don’t remember everything, but I know that I left inspired by their words, their collective wisdom, and their gift of a friendship freely given. I came home thinking of words and how words are needed to fully understand both joy and sorrow.

There is something palpable and real about words put down on the page that give words life and meaning. Meaning is born out of expression and not simply reflection. The seed is sown in the depths of our private meditations, but the plant--and hence the fruit--is borne of giving form and shape to those meditations. You can’t point to a newly sown garden and say, ”See what I’ve planted!“ You must first put in the labor to make those seeds sprout and flourish; only when the field is rich in fruit and flower will the gardener share the bounty of his or her labor. Jordan said the added bonus is that research has proven that writing about the joys and sorrows of our lives will make us more physically healthy! 

Writing helps us overcome our fear of the unknown.  It creates the necessary distance from what is hard and troubling in our lives, and it helps us to see the monster within from a safe place.   Perhaps you know that your fear of bees is related to stepping into a bees nest as a child, but you’ve never written about that experience; you have never truly reflected on that time in your life.  Through writing you may not overcome your fear of bees, but you can put that fear in perspective, and you can sense the rational from what was once irrational.  This is not to advocate running for a pad and pencil every time your life gets tough. Tough times need time--sometimes a long time--before they can be fully expressed in words. Knowing when you are emotionally ready to write about a tough period in your life is part of the process. In that sense, writing must be a part of our lifestyle and not a medicine reached for only in times of need. Through regular writing we will know when we are ready!

After my father died following a long illness, it was a cathartic and rewarding exercise to write a eulogy for him.  I was in many ways prepared for his death, and the process of writing was easy, and the words about my dad flowed out of me like a mountain stream. But when Patty, my idolized older sister, died suddenly, I was devastated.  There were no words I could speak. No one even asked if I could write a few words about her.  I couldn’t. But with the balm of time far enough behind me, I now find myself writing about her often--she was my earliest mentor as a writer! Now I share the fullness and joy of her life as if she is an old friend who still lives beside me. I laugh when I talk about her as if she is in the next room.  I know now that the magnanimity of her life did not die with her early death, but it is relived and reborn in the words I write.  The memories, which were once so bitter, are now filled with a poignancy and meaning that give an added depth to my own life.

In a like way, the writing about the the common experiences that bring us joy celebrates what is most real and eternal in our own lives.  It shows us that we are on the right path, and it helps to keep us on the right path; it gives us a moral and intentional framework on which to drape our lives.  I always marvel when I read my wife, Denise's blog. It is full of stories about the life and times of family life in our house.  She somehow manages to find the enduring meaning in a passing moment or inspiration from an offhand comment from one of our kids. When I am tired, grumpy, and out of sorts, I go to her blog, not because I am seeking comfort, but because I am energized and informed by her words. When I am full of hope and optimism, I go to her blog because it keeps that optimism and hope alive. Denise is proof of the power of the moment. There does not have to be a lag time when celebrating a joyous moment as may be needed for a more difficult time. If it’s worth a picture, it’s definitely worth a few words, too.

My memory now is of a conversation cut short by the bartender , Subas, flicking the lights in mock annoyance.  There were goodbyes with assurances of future visits--visits I am sure that will happen.   Time and experience are relative.  What I gained from a closing time conversation in a small town bar seems out of proportion to the time spent talking. 

Maybe that is the proof of words.

Fitz's Quick Essay & Reflection Formula

"Set the scene and state the theme. Say what you mean, and finish it clean!"


One of the hardest parts of writing is finding a way to make sense of what you want to say, explain, or convey to your readers--especially when facing a timed essay or exam writing prompt. Here is a quick formula that might help you when you need to create a writing piece "on the fly." At the very least, it should guide you as your write in your blog, and at the very least, any essay needs to be at least three paragraphs long! I've always told my students (who are probably tired of hearing me recite the same things over and over again): "If you know the rules, you can break them." But you'd better be a pretty solid writer before you start creating your own rules. The bottom line is that nobody really cares about what you write; they care about how your writing affects and transforms them intellectually and emotionally. If a reader does not sense early on that your writing piece is worth reading, they won't read it, unless they have to (like your teachers), or they are willing to (because they are your friend). Do them all a favor and follow these guidelines and everyone will be happy and rewarded. Really!.

1. Set the scene and state the theme: Use your first paragraph to lead up to your theme. If the lead in to your essay is dull and uninspired, you will lose your readers before they get to the theme. If you simply state your theme right off the bat, you will only attract the readers who are "already" interested in your topic. Your theme is the main point, idea, thought, or experience you want your writing piece to convey to your audience. (Often it is called a "Thesis Statement.) I suggest making your theme be the last sentence of your opening paragraph because it makes sense to put it there, and so it will guide your reader in a clear and, hopefully, compelling way. In fact, constantly remind yourself to make your theme be clear, concise and memorable. Consciously or unconsciously, your readers constantly refer back to your theme as mnemonic guide for "why" you are writing your essay in the first place! Every writing piece is a journey of discovery, but do everything you possibly can to make the journey worthwhile from the start.

2. Say what you mean: A sentence is a thought fully expressed. A paragraph is a thought fully explored.
Write about your theme. Use as many paragraphs as you "need." A paragraph should be as short as it can be and as long as it has to be. Make the first sentence(s) "be" what the whole paragraph is going to be about. Try and make those sentences be clear, concise and memorable (just like your theme) and make sure everything relates closely to the theme you so clearly expressed in your first paragraph. If your paragraph does not relate to your theme, it would be like opening up the directions for a fire extinguisher and finding directions for baking chocolate chip cookies instead! And finally, do your best to balance the size of your body paragraphs. If they are out of proportion to each other, then an astute reader will make the assumption that some of your points are way better than your other points, and so the seed of cynicism will be sown before your reader even begins the journey.

3. Finish it clean: Conclusions need to be as simple as possible. In conversations only boring or self important people drag out the end of a conversation. When you are finished saying what you wanted to say, exit confidently and cleanly. DON"T add any new information into the last paragraph; DON'T retell what you've already told, and DON'T preen before the mirror of your brilliance. Just "get out of Dodge" in an interesting and thoughtful (and quick) way. Use three sentences or less. It shows your audience that you appreciate their intelligence and literacy!

Set the scene; state the theme; say what you mean, and finish it clean is a simple rubric for writing to keep in your head as you read and comment, and to practice in your writing as you reflect and express yourself with words..

Ten Suggested Genres for Your Summer Writing

Doing something which is “different” does not come easily to most of us. The wrestling team I coach will look at me sideways if I ask them to practice cartwheels. I’ve even heard that some professional football teams bring in dance instructors to teach their behemoth linemen the art of ballet and foxtrot. My point is that practicing “any” athletic sport develops your skill in another seemingly unrelated sport. The same is true in writing. Through practicing the skills and techniques used in different genres of writing, we can enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of the writing we love to do (or are required to do because of schoolwork or employment.)  By practicing different styles and genres of writing, we learn to avoid the rut of developing a formulaic, predictable, and downright dull writing style—plus, you might even discover a renewed love and energy for a “new” kind of writing when you practice writing in an unfamiliar genre.

Over the course of the next few weeks, try and write in each of the following genres and styles of writing.  I will post more detailed descriptions and writing prompts that span the many different types of writing, but it is up to you to give them a full-hearted try.  Good luck and have fun!

1. Your Daily Journal: Every good writer keeps a journal that remembers the daily events of his or her life, no matter how mundane or common.  A daily journal is a recording of your life as live it, and as such, it is a treasure trove of memories that you can draw from later in life—memories and snapshots that you can expand upon in a more formal writing piece any time you wish.

2. The Ramble: The Ramble (often called ‘free-writing’) is close related to the daily journal, but it is more of a free-flowing series of thoughts, ideas and experiences. It is a journey with your mind and heart and soul down an emotional and intellectual highway. The ramble does not have to have a formal structure, but it does try to find and focus on a specific theme, and it does try and punctuate and paragraph to the best of your ability. By defining a certain post as a ramble, you are freed from all criticism of your writing style and technique because you are simply on an exploration of yourself, and as such, it is hard to go wrong! Rambles are great fun and an invigorating exercise in writing, but it is what it is.  Kerouac aside, it is a misnomer to call a ramble anything but a ramble.  I have had many chagrined students who tried to pass off their ramble as a thinly disguised essay.

3. The Personal Narrative: (see my full post under Pages) Personal Narratives are the stories of our lives.  By habitually practicing the art of storytelling through personal narratives, we practice the basic craft of the Short Story and the Essay. By telling the stories of our lives, we follow the main rule of all writing: write about what you know! I could write all day about the joy of Bungee jumping, and I still couldn't convince a toad that I knew what I was talking about.  But if I wrote about the day I watched people bungee jumping off a bridge, then I could probably get that toad to publish the story for me. I could be the protagonist, and my best friend forcing me to try could be the antagonist; fear of jumping into the unknown could be the conflict; standing up to my friend could be the climax; falling out of a tree when I was young could be my supporting facts; facing and trying to overcome my fears could become the theme of my essay/story, and when a reader can relate to  your theme, they are able to recreate your story in their own imaginations. It might force them to think about their own fears, and in doing so, your story effects a powerful transformations in their lives. Every day and every experience is a possible personal narrative.  If that experience means anything to you, it will mean the same thing to someone else because we are all tied together by our "common humanity;" we share the same emotional connections, but how we experience those emotions is infinite and infinitely varied--and that is why our libraries and bookshelves are filled, and that is why we all keep returning to the power and creative magic of literature.  Think of everything you write as true literature.

4. Memoirs: The way in which a person affects your life is a profound statement of your values and an enduring testament a specific person’s influence on your life.  A memoir is a type of personal narrative that paints a vivid portrait of an interesting and worthy character.  Through images and actions, thoughts, feelings and memories you, as a writer, recreate the power and magic of someone who has left an indelible mark on your life.  Every good novelist and short story writer is a master of the memoir because writing memoirs is the key to developing dynamic, real and empathetic characters, without which a story falls flat on its face!

5. Short Stories: Every writer is essentially a storyteller, but the craft of short story writing requires a discipline and attention to detail that most writers are not willing to undertake. A good short story effectively creates a powerful experience for the reader out of the writer’s imagination and experience.  Most beginning short story writers bite off more than they can chew; they attempt to scale a high peak without first learning how to tie their boots.  I will write more in a future post, but for now keep it simple: don’t write stories with a bunch of different characters. Two or three characters is all a good short story needs! Make the plot easy to follow, and be sure that there is a clear protagonist and a clear antagonist and a clear conflict. Most importantly, create characters that you can relate to on a personal level. If you are ten years old, make your main character a ten year old, because that is what you know best, and you can recreate experiences for your reader that are compelling and real.  And remember that your first draft is never ever your best draft!

6. Poetry: Poetry is the highest art. A great writer is not always a great poet, but a great poet is always a great writer. Poetry is the hardest genre to pin down and say, “This is poetry!” Poetry is the rough gem of life polished to perfection. To write poetry, you need to simply ask yourself: “Why is this a poem?” A poem is more than thoughts expressed in short lines; it is the meticulous crafting, choosing and placing of words, lines, spaces, breaths, and stanzas that defines what you call a poem.  This is all up to you as the poet.  I can’t tell you what is and what is not a poem, but I can tell you that good poets read the poems of other good poets, and they spend huge amounts of time on their own poetry.  With practice comes skill; with skill comes perfection, and poetry will only happen in this order. The first skill of a poet is to ask, “Why am I writing this?” The second skill of a poet is to ask, “Did I tell my reader something, or did I lead them somewhere and show them something?” Don’t give the meaning of a poem away, but do leave clues for the reader to find that meaning.

7. Personal Reflections: I love personal reflections. There are few joys greater than the opportunity to just “think about something.”  At the highest level, a personal reflection is an intimate and high-minded conversation with our own self—a conversation that is focused on a particular subject, topic or idea. The personal reflection differs from the ramble because it refuses to jump from thought to thought.  Like a ramble, it retains the “I” I the voice.but it stays fixed on a theme that is expressed in some kind of thesis or guiding statement.   It is, by nature, less formal than a topical essay by retaining a spontaneous and unaffected narrative flow that feels to the reader like it is coming directly from your heart. It always has a distinct beginning, middle and end, but it never loses the sense of an open and inquiring mind on a search for truth—and every one appreciates someone who is willing to explore their own assumptions.  I often tell my students that a reflection explores the question, while an essay answers the question. A personal reflection asks of each of us: Why am I writing this? What am I writing about? What do I think about my topic? If I come to a conclusion, how did I get there? A well-written personal reflection is as powerful as writing can get; it is the best of your mind offered to the reader as a gift that the reader can share in, think about, and agree or disagree in equal measure. A personal reflection is the best of your thoughts distilled into an experience of words!

8. Literary Reflections: Writing without reading is like an egg without a yolk; the nutrients are there, but the flavor is lacking.  Usually, when we finish reading something, we put it away on the shelf and convince ourselves we are impressed, amazed, indifferent, or profoundly moved.  The literary reflection is an offshoot of the personal reflection because it does not try and criticize a writing piece solely on its literary merits, but rather it “talks” about something you have read purely on an emotional and intellectual personal level.  There is almost no reason to write a literary reflection about something which you didn’t like reading. (That is what a “Review” is for!) Write Literary Reflections about literature that you feel is important for other people to read because you want them—your readers—to experience the same magic that you experienced.  It’s like being on a sightseeing whaling boat and someone shouts out “There’s a whale,” and everyone turns to see the whale for himself or herself! They all appreciate your attentiveness, and in turn, you are pleased to point out the magnificence of the moment to them.

9. Reviews: One of the cool things about being in a writing community with your peers is the chance to write about and read about a whole assortment of books, movies, places, games and any other activity people your age love to do.  We live in a world of reviews.  We avoid movies because they get panned in the Boston Globe.  We refuse to eat in a certain restaurant because it only has a three star rating in Gourmet Magazine.  What many “reviewers” fail to realize it that what they write directly impacts a person’s very livelihood.  The main job of a review is to tell your reader whether or not what you are reviewing lives up to the hype.  If somebody is arrogant enough to say they are the best in town, then by all means, hold them to that standard. But if Al at Al’s Diner says he sells cheap burgers, it is up to you to tell us just how cheap his burgers are—and you might want to add in that you get what you pay for.  I love reading reviews, but I insist they be honest and fair. Use common sense when writing a review: don’t give away the plot and ending of books and movies; don’t write a review about something someone else can’t experience. (That is what a personal narrative is for!) Make sure to balance out your reviews.  If your reviews are all negative, you will soon get the rep as a negative guy; if your reviews are always positive and glowing, people will think you live in la la land.   

10. Expository Essays: Everyone likes to be right, and the  expository essay is the perfect vehicle to define what is--and what is not--right and true! The word essay comes from the french word, “essai,” which means “to try.” A good essay tries to defend a certain point (called the “thesis”) using logic and supporting facts, not personal opinion. You can’t say in an expository essay that the 2008 Celtics are the best team in history because they make you feel good about yourself (great for a personal reflection) but you can say they are the best team in history because the Celtics are the first team to go from last in the league to champions in a single year! I will be posting more detailed posts about essays in the near future. 

The Bedroom on the Left

Nana and Papa’s home in Brewster is a typical New England cape with a bedroom on each side of the stairwell and  a single bathroom in the common hall.  Denise and I have the somewhat luxurious room on the right with the big bed, a couch, and a day bed.  Across the hall is the “kids’ room.”  It is a mish-mash of bunk beds, cots, cribs, loose mattresses and a couch.  It has a single window, a small desk, a bookcase, and an old plastic laundry bin full of dolls and stuffed animals. When I poked my head in this morning, it looked like a safe house for tired runaways. Our seven kids and one friend lay strewn about like flexible toys in a sandbox--all deep in a beautiful and enchanted sleep.  None of them wanted any part of our room.  Our room is only good for time-outs and watching the eight-thousandths rerun of “The Lion King” on rainy days, but their room is a world unto itself. They are their own village and community and they all make it work by bending and tensing, laughing and screaming, singing and crying, tattling and whispering, and knowing through family tradition and real experience the inexplicable joy of simple and shared life.

Each of the kids claims a small space in some place in the room, and with that space comes a sacred blanket and pillow, but the air and the energy is owned by everyone, and that air and energy is permeated by the eternal hope of summer. Tomorrow is always going to be more fun than today, and September is a million miles away, lit by some distant star in a forgotten space of the universe. The nights when they think we think they are asleep, big sisters tell scary stories and little Tommy’s laugh uncontrollably, while stern EJ’s admonish him to “shut up.” The bent heads in the morning mill around and kick at the rubble of clothes like quiet survivors of a twister searching for crocs and bathing suits and books. And when they are too tired to tease or taunt, they help each other out; they find lost shirts, rub sunscreen on each other’s backs and whisper plans for the day, which always start with, “and later let’s...”

The same as the bedroom on the left are the different summer writing communities. The separate communities are the rooms we need to share with each other. Even if it doesn’t come naturally, we need to respect each other’s space and share our own--and therein lies the contradiction of the word “community.” What is personal and private is also public and shared, and so we need to temper our private words and actions with common sense.  Although you might find your drunk Uncle Fred a hilarious character to write about, Uncle Fred will surely not find it so funny. Conversely, no matter how many people are in your “room,” it is always full--every space is taken, and everybody has an equal voice in the community; it is that voice that needs to be heard--and responded to--by each of us. Make it a ritual to click through the links in your community.  Behind every link is a person who is sharing a summer experience with you. It’s also possible that one voice is not as loud as another, and so we need to listen more closely and be more attentive and help give that person the space and feedback they deserve.

The writing communities become vibrant and fun places because we include everyone in the experience of a shared room. We come to know each other primarily through our words, and, like members of a family, we are different in many ways, but we share in what is most important--a willingness to live with and care for each other as we engage the world of words.

I exasperate the students who know me well when I write these long-winded exhortations, when I could simply say: please write and comment on each other’s blogs.

Have a great day!

Opening Day

It is almost fitting that my summer begins with a drenching rain. The surfboard, windsurfer, and assorted beach toys lie wet, washed, and glistening on Nana and Papa’s front lawn. Although the downpour beats down on the roof, weathers the shingles and keeps us in the harbor, it is by no means a dreary Father’s Day on Cape Cod. I got my cards and kisses; I poured out the Special K and spread cream cheese on the bagels; I assured seven kids that it is still going to be a great day. And then Denise made that happen by carting them off with a knowing smile to a heated indoor pool with their aunts and Uncles! And so in this uncharacteristic quiet, I made my coffee and “found the time” (the most precious gift for any writer) and now put my first words to our shared summer writing experience.

First, I want to thank all of you for signing up for  a summer writing community. The summer blogs allow me to work through the summer doing something that I truly love doing--and that is sharing the joys and challenges of writing with a great group of people who are willing (and I hope, eager) to share that journey with each other. Please read the few posts that come before this entry--especially The Crafted Word Guidelines--and let’s begin the summer.

We all come to this table from a different place. We all have our unique reasons for joining our respective writing community.  For some of you, it is simply a time and place to write for the pleasure of writing; for others, it is a time and place to write because you have to because your well intentioned parents signed you up to rob you of your summer:) But for all of us it is an opportunity to “improve the nick of time,” as we are advised to do by Henry David Thoreau. For all of us, the communities need to be a place of respect, affirmation, and support. They need to work for all of us and not just for yourself. The Crafted Word is not simply a name I chose because I like the name--it is an approach to seeing that writing is a ‘craft’ that can be mastered through attentive practice and wise tutelage. We must allow ourselves to be mentored by each other; we need to acknowledge, embrace, and emulate masterful writers and enduring literature.  Do what good writers do, and you will become a great writer.

The writing communities are more than just places to share “almost” every style and genre of writing, for example: daily journals, reflections, short stories, poetry, songs, podcasts, pictures and videos--any blog can do that.  What sets us apart is that we have signed on for a journey on the same ship, and in that sense we are bunkmates on an adventurous voyage to parts of our writing lives as yet unfathomed and unexplored. As part of the crew we need to rely on each other for support, encouragement, and motivation. We have a duty to each other to show up when our watch is called and do our part to the best of our abilities. Come calm or storm, we need to show up on deck and do our duty.  By just doing this, we all broaden and deepen our own skills as writers; we earn the write to call ourselves writers; we gain experience as writers by facing, and then filling, the empty page on a consistent and steady basis. 

The first real step for all of us is to simply begin writing, posting, and commenting. These are the lifeblood of each community.  It may take a few days for everyone to get up and running, but already there are new entries in each group.  The communities are like gardens that grow more fruitful over time, but likewise less fruitful if the garden remains untended. Start by writing about who you are and where you are from.  (Some folks have posted an “About Page” that gives other people an idea of his or her hobbies, interests, activities, accomplishments, and even pictures.) Write about your plans, hopes, and schemes for the summer. Maybe you have a poem or story you want to share. Maybe you read a good book or saw a good movie that deserves mention--or a bad movie or book we should stay away from! The best writers write about what they know, and feel, and have experienced directly--or they recreate experience by using the unlimited power of imagination. The summer writing communities free all of us to pursue our passions as well as providing a safe ad supportive place to try new ways of writing.

Your watch has been called on deck.  Swap the decks with crafted words; hoist the sails with well wrought phrases, and take us along with you on your journey.

Thanks for being here.

-Fitz

Some Practical Tips for Using the Blogs:

For many of you, this is your first time even using a blog. Using a blog to write and post entries and comment on other blogs is a new and different--and, at first, sometimes confusing--way of writing. As we begin our summer writing, I am seldom far from either my e-mail or my phone. Please contact me if you have any logon, password, or posting issues, and we can work through any technical problems that may arise. You can also simply post a comment on my blog and that comment will automatically e-mailed to me. I will check your blogs at least every other day to read and comment on your posts.

1. Use a Safe Way To Create Writing Pieces: I strongly advise you to write with a word processor and then cut and paste your work into your blog. (NOTE: if you do cut and paste, you may have to reformat your post so that it appears like you want it to appear--including bold fonts, links, etc.) I have “lost” too many valuable words by forgetting to hit “publish” after writing an entry, or the internet goes down, or one of kids sneaks up and taps the wrong key on my computer! I personally use a program called MacJournal on my mac that allows me to write offline and then post whenever I am ready, and it saves all of your formatting. (WinJournal for Windows is made by the same company as MacJournal) There are also a number of other programs out there that let you do the same thing. The bottom line for anybody writing on a computer is to save early and often. At school I advise my kids to save every writing piece as a document, as a blog entry, and as an e-mail to yourself or an a usb key.

2. Double Space Between Paragraphs: It is accepted practice when writing for the web to double space between paragraphs. The blogs don’t always recognize tabs, and so if you don’t double space between paragraphs, your post will come out looking like one big paragraph--and that is seldom a good first impression!

3. Punctuate To the Best of Your Ability: Punctuation is to the written word what the barb is to the hook. Without a barb the hook is not nearly as effective. The rules for punctuation have evolved out of the nature of speech. (Originally, wen few people actually could read, punctuation marks were symbols that told the reader how the sentence or phrase was meant to be “spoken!”) Punctuation marks help us mimic the power and effectiveness of our “spoken” language; moreover, they guide your readers to read your words in the way “you” want them to experience your writing. Effective and clear punctuation is one of the first things a critical reader (especially teachers and SAT graders) notice when first reviewing your writing piece. Spend time this summer delving deeper into the hows and whys of the world of punctuation. I don’t expect you to be masters of punctuation, but I do want you to do your best to practice and perfect this essential skill! On the sidebar of your blog is a whole list of links to websites that can help you become a skilled practitioner of all those cool little marks.Those sites all include both explanations and fun quizzes to test your proficiency. If I notice a challenge you have with punctuation, I will no doubt point you to one of those sites.

4. Learn To Use the Tools on the Posting Page: Above your entry writing box is a row of icons that help you format your writing to look and act the way you want. You do not have a lot of options as a blog is a web page, not a document. But, to a limited degree, you can resize fonts and colors; add bold, italics or underlined; you can create a link to a wed page by highlighting text and clicking on the chain icon and then adding the url of the web page; you can make a bulleted list; you can (and should) spell check, and you can add pictures and files--including videos, podcasts and links to word files. The best way to figure the icons out is to experiment with them and use the help section when you need help.

I hope this helps. I will continue to add to this page by adding more specific and detailed tutorials. Let me know what you need help on, and I will try to provide that help!

Fitz

The Crafted Word Appropriate Use Guidelines

Respect The Rights and Privacy of Others:

The Writing Communities are here to help us become better and more effective writers. The communities also help us learn how to write appropriately and effectively in a digital forum. The benefits are awesome, but there is great risk as well. Posts and comments cannot be divisive in any way, shape, or form. It is certainly acceptable, and often healthy, to write about difficult issues in our lives, BUT, you can never disparage or reveal details about another person’s or family’s personal or private life either by name or reference.

Posts and comments cannot contain offensive language, including: sexually suggestive words, racist or sexist tone, or vulgar and demeaning swear words.

Any entries or comments that can be construed as vulgar, hurtful or malicious will be deleted and, if serious enough, will result in a suspension of your Crafted Word privileges.

These rules are here to protect all of us, so be mindful of everything you write--and always, always, always proofread before you post!

Summer Beginnings

It was a great feeling to finish the last of my advisor letters, move some stuff to my new room (s112), and drive away in my rumbling old diesel truck down Barrets Mill Road into the beginning of summer.  Right now, my own kids are running around packing up clothes, surfboards, swimsuits, books, and sunscreen as we get ready to head down to the cape for a few days of "vacation." Of course, dad will brig his laptop and gently remind them to post a blog everyday; maybe put in some pictures with details of the big and small adventures that make up their summer life. I will log on everyday to check all of your blogs.  It would be awesome if you would check out all of the blogs in your community as well--especially the blogs of the names you don't recognize and leave a comment if they have posted.

Almost all of the summer blogs are up and running and ready for you to start posting stories, poems, songs, daily rambles, reflections, essays, journal entries; movie, book, or game reviews--really anything that uses words to give voice to your life. The hardest part of writing is developing the "habit" of writing.  I know that summer is a busy time, but do your best to find the time to write and comment in your community in a regular and sustained way.  If you go off to camp or an a trip, bring a journal with you and do some writing the "old-fashioned way."  When you get back on a computer, you can copy your writing into your blog.  You can even save each post to publish on the day you wrote your entry.  Simply click on "Post on date" before you save your entry. Another thing to remember is that it is easy to "lose" your entry if you log out before "saving" your entry. The safest thing to do is to write your blog in Microsoft Word or some other offline writing program and then cut and paste your writing into your blog when you are finished. 

Having a full and active blog and commenting is the one thing that makes the blogs fun and rewarding for everyone! If you know of a friend that would like to join, please have them contact me. If you inspire a friend to  join a Crafted Word Writing Community, I will send you  a $25.00 gift certificate for either i-tunes or Barnes and Noble booskstore!!!

If you have not received your log on information, let me know and I will get that to you immediately. Also, be sure to send me the best e-mail address to use when sending you updates or new information about the summer blogs.

There are always a few glitches and log on or password issues for some people as we start up the summer blogs.  If you have any problem at all, please e-mail me right away--or call: 978-793-1553--and we can figure out your issue and fix the problem right away!

Remember to keep your language and tone appropriate in both your posts and comments, and do your best to punctuate and paragraph everything your write. Always include your full name in any comment.  If you receive an inappropriate or anonymous comment, please let me know as soon as possible! If you include a link, or a video, or podcast i one of your posts, please be sure that the site or page does not have any questionable content--or links to questionable content. 

A great way to start your summer is to write an "About Me" page with pictures and a short bio of yourself.  On your posting screen there is a a place create a "New Page." This will help everyone in your community to know a little bit about every person in the community. A "page" looks just like your blog, but it is saved as a link on your sidebar, and so it is easy for people to find.

Make a habit of checking my blog whenever you log in to your own blog and leave me a comment. It is the best way to let me know that you are here and with us as we continue our blogging odyssey. I do my best to "practice what I preach." My main goals for my summer writing is to finish a CD of new songs and to work on my novel, Hallows Lake, and to post daily entries about my own summer experiences.  Think of  making some writing goals for yourself!

There are a bunch of different backgrounds that you can have for your blog. Right now, everyone in your community has the same background. If you want a new background, I will create five or six different options for each community that I will post next week. Let me know if you would like a new background.

Thanks for being a part of the summer blogs.  The official starting date is on June 15th. That will be the date of my first "official" writing prompt and daily checking of each of your blogs, but you are welcome to start right away!  I can't wait to read your posts and share with you the power and promise of the written word!

Are you ready?

-Fitz